From Dinosaur to Soaring Hawk: HoliMont’s Remarkable Rescue and Release
From Dinosaur to Soaring Hawk: HoliMont’s Remarkable Rescue and Release
A broad-winged hawk found on HoliMont’s bike trails makes a triumphant return to the skies thanks to quick action and community care.
As summer was opening its doors to the Ellicottville area, a very small, fairly new broad-winged hawk was found abandoned on the bike trails of HoliMont on June 24th.
Chris Perks, HoliMont Park manager, and the HoliMont Park Crew stumbled upon the lonely eyas while working on improving and maintaining the bike trails.
“Ryan Sullivan and I were doing our morning inspection on the trails,” Perks explained. “We were driving down and came across the Funnel, and Sullivan slammed on the brakes and said, ‘dinosaur’. We almost ran it over. I got out and assessed the situation, trying to look around for the nest, which was most likely 80-90 feet in a tree.”
With the proper assumption that the young raptor fell out or was kicked out of the nest, Perks and the HoliMont Bike Park Crew took quick action. “We decided to call Annie. I wrapped him up in the blanket, as advised, and ended up handing him off to her.”
Annie Widger, who works with Messenger Woods Rehabilitation and Education Center in Holland, New York, arranged to pick up the hawk with the team and assessed the kind of rehabilitation required.
“This baby was lucky!” said Widger. “He was found pretty quickly after he fell out (or was picked out) of the nest. With any rehabilitation, the first course of action is warming up the animal and making sure it’s hydrated.”
With new findings as the rehabilitation journey of the new hawk continued, she and her crew found that the chick’s actual species was a broad-winged hawk. A migratory bird, the species heads south for the winter and is fairly common in Western New York during the summer. These birds of prey have a tendency to be relatively secretive and prefer wooded areas, like the canopy at HoliMont Bike Park.
Through this understanding, the vision of his return to the wild became even more tangible. After seven weeks of delicate recovery, intensive rehabilitation, and gradual reconditioning, the HoliMont Hawk was ready to return to its home. The release of our local friend was well attended, photographed, and congratulated, accompanied by an abundance of support from the community and friends online.
Perks detailed how he felt watching the bird return home: “It was super cool to be able to see something that had gone from this little white dinosaur grow up to this beautiful, mature bird. It actually hung out in a tree for 30 minutes or so after release. We still go and check for him now and then.”
“With habitat shrinking, environmental issues, as well as issues stemming from global warming, more and more animals and birds find themselves in precarious situations,” explained Widger. “When community members care enough to seek help, working together can really make a difference.”
Further, Widger supports the fuel to her passion for rehabilitation: “Rehabilitating gives me a continued sense of purpose. This allows me the ability to give back and actually see progress. It’s a small piece of the big picture. This world is for all of us; we need to protect it and ALL the creatures with which we coexist.”
“The wildlife around here is very special.” Perks emphasized. “Being a private property, it doesn’t see as many people, so the animals are used to us. They’re like family around here.”
For those interested in contributing, Messenger Woods welcomes volunteers and encourages anyone who encounters injured wildlife to seek professional guidance. In an increasingly fragile ecosystem, every effort counts.
“We are always looking for volunteers and new rehabbers and happily mentor them,” said Widger. “Our licenses are through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and we work hand-in-hand with the Environmental Conservation Officers in New York. We have a great relationship and together we help many different species.”
If you happen to come across injured or abandoned wildlife, Widger advises, “If you’re questioning if an animal needs care, reach out to a rehabilitator first before deciding to intervene. Personal safety is paramount. You are no help to an animal if you are also injured. Especially if you find any RVS animal (rabies vector species), do not touch.”
From finding animals, to containing, to transportation, and through donations, there are many ways people can help ensure injured and abandoned wildlife can get the care they need quickly.
The rehabilitation and release of the HoliMont Hawk emphasizes the crucial role that community awareness and action play in wildlife conservation. Thanks to the attentiveness of the HoliMont Bike Park Crew and the expertise of Annie Widger with the Messenger Woods Rehabilitation and Education Center, a vulnerable creature was given a second chance at life in its natural habitat.